Farming in the Dark
A Discussion about the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
Description:... An invaluable resource for farmers and educators alike who are looking for an informative text to serve as a springboard for discussions about sustainable agriculture and how to gear up for a successful future. Why have so many farmers in sustainable agriculture had to take day jobs to support their farms and families? What can they do to create a more successful future? Rhonda R. Janke has traveled to the farms themselves in search of the answers. Through interviews with more than fifteen farmers we learn what challenges they face and the tools needed to build a successful model for the future. Students of sustainable agriculture will benefit from Janke's honest look at the successes and failures of the sustainable agriculture movement over the last twenty years. Her interviews with farmers and other key players in the movement will provide invaluable insight to students and educators alike. Janke offers us an honest critique of the sustainable agricultural movement at just the right time - when heightened public awareness and interest in food production and the environment promises to provide new opportunities and enthusiasm for the sustainable and organic agriculture industry. Dr. Rhonda R. Janke has over 25 years experience in sustainable agriculture research and extension work in sustainable cropping systems. A graduate of Cornell University, she worked at the Rodale Institute for eight years overseeing cropping experiments and later as Research Director. Dr. Janke is currently teaching sustainable and organic agriculture at Kansas State University. She continues to farm her own ten acres with her husband, where they raise vegetables, sheep, and chickens.
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